Envelope attachment



Sept. 10, 1940. A,M. BROUDY ENVELOPE ATTACHMENT Filed April 1 Snuentor fiizmvn. 1

(Ittorneg Patented. Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE ATTACHMENT 7 Albert ,M. Broudy, Pittsburgh, Pa; Application April 1, issas r al No. 199,395

r l 1 Claim. This invention relates to an attachment for envelopes, and the primary objects, and advantages th ereof are to provide a simple and inex-, pensive attachment of the character described,

6 which is secured to an envelope particularly adapted for containing the invoice of a shipment of merchandise and placed withinthe package containing the goods by the shipper for the convenience of the consignee or purchaser, which 10 embodies an exposed section adapted to be permanently fixed to theoutside of the package for apprising the receiver of the latterthat the invoice, pertaining to the goods, is enclosedwithin 'the container, which will uniformly facilitate 10- ll eating the invoice within the package, and which may be successfully employedin connection with various types of boxes, packages and containers. With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the

20 invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood is merely illustrative of an embodiment of the invention,

2 and that changes in the form, proportions and details of construction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claims hereunto Y appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of refer- 3 ence designate corresponding parts throughout the several views: 7

Figure l is a top plan view of an envelope provided with an attachment in accordance with e the invention.

35 Figure 2 is an end view of a container with a cover portion thereof in the partially open position and illustrating the adaptation of the invention therewith. I

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a sealed package embodying the present invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing I denotes an ordinary paper envelope of the usual type and of the conventional construction now in common universal use.

My improved attachment comprises a substantially rectangularly-shaped flap 2, preferably having its entire rear surface area gummed, in the well known manner, for adhesive purposes. The flap is arranged in attached sections by two rows of transversely aligned separating perforations, respectively indicated at 3 and 4, thereby providing the inner section 5, the intermediate section 6, and the outer section 1. The intermediate sectionis. scored, as at 8, in

the transverse direction and adjacent to the perforation row 3 to tend the rearward flexure of said intermediate section along the path of said scoring. u v

The innersection 5 is relatively narrow and is permanently secured by adhesion to the'front 5 top edge margin of the envelope, centrally of the latter, as clearly illustrated in Figure l. The envelope I, with the flap 2 so constructed and attached, is intended to be sold to the trade for use in the manner to be described. 10 Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the use of my improved envelope attachment as appliedto a corrugated box 9 of the type now generally employed as a container in the shipment of merchandise, and including the usual two-part'cover I0 adapted to be folded toward each other to have their free edges meet along the longitudinal center of the box structure.

The intermediate section 6 of the flap is flexed, alongthe scoring 8, around the free edge margin of one part of the cover I 0. The outer part of the intermediate section, outwardly of the scoring, together with theouter flap section 1, is adhesively secured to the top of said engaged cover part,

while the inner part of the intermediate section, I

inwardly of the scoring, is adhesively secured against the underside of said cover part.

The attached envelope I, containing the invoice matter, and being sealed or unsealed as desired, is positioned against the underside of the engaged cover part in spaced relation to the free edge of the latter. To close the two-part cover 10 the parts thereof are folded together toward each other and sealed in such closed position by overlapping the adjacent free edge margins thereof with a gummed paper strip II in the usual well known manner.

As shown in Figure 3, the strip II, when applied to seal the two-part cover ID as stated, does not cover or conceal the outer section 1 of the flap 2. The outer section is printed with the notation invoice enclosed, whereby the receiver of the package is informed that the invoice pertaining to the contents of the package is contained within the latter. j

The package may be opened in the usual manner by cutting or breaking the sealing strip II, along the juncture of the free edges of the two-part cover 10. The envelope cannot be dam aged by such opening operations, as it is held spaced from the free edge of the engaged cover part by the adhesive connection by the part of the intermediate flap section 6, disposed inwardly of the scoring 8, against the underside of the engaged cover part. The envelope may be neatly removed from the flap 2 by simply tearing the latter apart along the separating perforation row 3. When so removed, the envelope will only carry the inner flap section 5, which does not project beyond'the edge thereof so will not interfere with the handling, filing and the like, of the envelope.

In some types of merchandise containers it may not be possible to employ the attachment flap 2 as above set forth. In such event, the outer flap section I may be detached from the flap along the perforated row [and adhesively secured in a conspicuously exposed position to the outer surface of the container to acquaint the receiver that the latter contains the invoice. The envelope containing the invoice may be adhesively secured, by the remainder of the flap, at some conspicuous position on the inner side of the container.

It is, of course, obvious that the flap! may be attached to any edge margin of the envelope, or, instead of comprising a separate part adhesively secured to the envelope as stated, the

flap may be out directly from the front of the envelope and the resultant opening in the latter closed by a transparent panel inset of the type in general use. Further, if the envelope need not be sealed, the usual closure flap of the envelope itself may be constructed to provide a formation employable in the manner set forth relatively to the flap 2.

The flap 2 maybe termed a combined coupling and designating member which functions. to couple the envelope when arranged within the container or receptacle to a wall of the latter, as

well as visibly designating from the exterior of such wall thecontents of the envelope. The flap 2 is formed with what may be zones provided on 7 their inner faces with an adhesive material constituting means for securing one of the zones to the front face of the envelope and the others of the zonesto the outer and inner faces of the wall of the container with which the attachment is correlated One of the said others of said zones having its outer face provided with indicia for designating from the exterior of the container the contents of the. envelope when the latter is arranged within and secured to a wall of the container by certain of said zones. The flap or member 2 is flexible and disposed in a free relation with an edge of the envelope. The form of the flap or member 2 may also be stated as consisting of a fixed portion and a freely extended portion disposed in relation to the latter. The freely extended portion being formed with a pair of spaced parallel scores, one being spaced from the'outer end and the other being spaced from the inner end of said member thereby dividing the latter into what may be termed an outer part, an intermediate part and an inner part. The outer part has its outer face provided with indicia for designating the contents of the envelope. The inner part being secured to the envelope.

' While the present invention is primarily intended for caring for invoices in the manner stated, it is apparent that the principle of the invention maybe employed for any other purposes wherein it is foundto be applicable;

The present invention provides a most emcient device of its kind, which may be economi-v cally manufactured and employed in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

What I claim is:

In a receptacle having a wall provided with an exposed edge, an inside portion and an outside portion, an envelope secured to said inner portion, said securing means comprising a flexible member secured to one edge portionof said envelope and disposed in a freely extended relation with respect to said edge of the envelope, said member being provided'with an adhesive. in a zone adjacent to the edge of the envelope securing said zone to the aforesaid inside portion, said member also having an intermediate zone constituting means to overlie the aforesaid exposed edge portion; and saidmember also having a terminal zone provided with adhesive on its inner side constituting means securing the member to the aforesaid outside portion.

' ALBERT M. BROUDY. 

